This stage version of the hugely successful film, is a riot of laughter and poignancy. Six unemployed men, four of whom are former steel workers, all need to raise cash quickly, and hit upon the idea of forming a striptease act, during which they reveal everything – i.e., the full monty.

Gaz (Gary Lucy) heads up the cast, in his first theatre role. He was excellent, and really made the part his own. Together with his best mate Dave (Martin Miller); Lomper (Bobby Schofield), a young man who Gaz and Dave meet when they stop him committing suicide; Horse (Louis Emerick), Guy (Rupert Hill); and Gerald (Andrew Dunn), Gaz and Dave’s former boss, they set about learning dance routines, and preparing for revealing everything in front of everyone who knows them.

Each has their own issues and reasons for wanting or needing to form the striptease group, but during their preparation, friendships are made, relationships are formed, and the project becomes about more than just raising cash.

The staging was excellent, and all the songs from the film featured, with the film’s best known and loved scenes all being faithfully recreated in a stage setting. The ‘Hot Stuff’ routine in the job centre was a real audience pleaser, and the final routine was brilliantly done. The men do indeed do the full monty, but the lighting is cleverly done so that there is nothing to make any blush.

As well as lots (LOTS!) of laughter, there are also some tender moments – Dave desperate to lose weight, wrapping himself in cling-film, while eating a Mars Bar; Guy and Lomper falling for each other, Gaz’s struggles with his ex-wife, and Gerald’s worries about trying to find a new job before his wife discovers that he has lost his old one.

The main cast were all excellent – I would never have guessed that Gary Lucy had never done theatre before – and each and every one of them brought his character to life, and really made the audience care about them.

The show received a standing ovation, and it was well deserved. The whole audience clearly had a wonderful time, with whooping and hollering throughout, but all in a very good natured sense (and boy, do the ladies love Gary Lucy!)

Definitely a show to see if you get chance – you are guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face!